Open Heart International

Purpose

To facilitate medical best practice in the vulnerable communities to transform lives.

About

Open Heart International was established in 1985 by Mr. Russell Lee, Mr. Rudi Morgan and Dr. John Wallace as volunteers, who all worked for Sydney Adventist Hospital at the time.The history of Sydney Adventist Hospital (or the “San” as it is affectionately known) is rich with stories of “San” educated healthcare professionals individually volunteering to help the disadvantaged and medically challenged around the world.

The genesis of Open Heart International was in Russell’s visit to see his missionary parents in Tonga. While in Tonga, he witnessed the lack of surgical options for those dying of rheumatic heart disease. As an ICU nurse specialising in cardiac care and challenged by what he saw, he returned to Australia determined to make a difference.

It was from this desire to make a difference in Tonga that led to the initiation of “Operation Open Heart for Tonga” by the three men, with strong support from many others. By 1986, they had succeeded in fundraising, they had acquired equipment, and had coordinated a small group of Sydney Adventist Hospital medical and nursing staff to travel. The rest as they say is history.

Over thirty years since that first project visit to Tonga, our purpose remains the same – to gift surgical best practice to the most disadvantaged communities on the planet. Read more on the website.

“We deal with critical and complex interventions in places where people have lost hope.”